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Pookie Pekan plunders Wetherby prize in dramatic circumstances

There will not be many more dramatic winners this season than Pookie Pekan at Wetherby.

Stuart Coltherd's top-weight looked booked for fourth at best in the Follow At Racing_UK On Twitter Handicap Hurdle as the leaders approached the final hurdle.

Northern Girl had matters under control for Adam Nicol, only to dive at the last flight and come down. That left Dulce Panem facing the prospect of a big lead, but two strides after the hurdle he ploughed into the stricken Northern Girl and also came to grief.

Some 10 lengths behind those two was the favourite Along Came Theo and it appeared to be a case of 'when your luck is in' for jockey Brian Hughes, fresh from his first Grade One winner at the weekend on Waiting Patiently.

However, his mount tied up badly and 11-1 chance Pookie Pekan came with a wet sail under the winning trainer's son, Sam, to claim the lead three strides from the line.

Coltherd, who trained Captain Redbeard to win the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock earlier this season, said: "He's a nice young horse learning the game and coming to the last I thought it was going to be a decent performance.

"Then the first one went and when the second one went, I was quite calm until then. I was stood next to the winning post and I could see the other one tying up.

"Fair do's to the horse, when Sam got stuck into him he really picked up. We're still trying to learn about him and we've learned a bit today.

"At least all the horses and jocks were OK, nobody got hurt and while we were fortunate winners, that's the name of the game, these things happen."

He added: "Nothing like this has happened to us, it's the most bizarre race I've watched for a long time. If someone offered me a million to one, I'd have said no thanks at the last!

"There's enough bad luck in this game so when things like this happen you take it, it's been a struggle this year with the weather up north."

The feature Racing UK In Stunning HD Handicap Chase was won in game style by Henry Oliver's Dresden (4-1).

The 10-year-old has kept some tough company down the years but defied a 7lb rise for a recent win at Catterick.

Sent off the 4-9 favourite, he was made to work fairly hard by Well Smitten but was well on top at the line.

Massini's Lady (100-30) ended a frustrating run of seconds for Nick and Lucy Alexander in the EBF / TBA Mares' Novices' Handicap Chase, while Just Georgie (3-1) provided Sue Smith and Danny Cook with another Wetherby winner in the three-mile handicap chase.